The business need for surveillance of retail and industrial businesses to prevent theft is well established. In recognition of this problem, television cameras have been mounted at strategic locations within an establishment and have proved effective at reducing thievery. Surveillance systems are also adaptable to monitor persons entering and leaving a premises, as well as for monitoring employee performance and efficiency.
In U.S. Pat. No. 4,027,329, a surveillance system for retail stores is provided wherein the camera is mounted from a motor assembly described as being able to rotate the camera about both a vertical axis (pan) and a horizontal axis (tilt). The camera is also equipped with a zoom-type lens which is remotely controlled from a console. U.S. Pat. No. 4,233,634 discloses a camera tilt and a pan head including a bifurcated support that is pivotable about a vertical axis and a camera cradle pivotable about a horizontal axis. In U.S. Pat. No. 4,080,629, a video surveillance system is provided which has a bifurcated support for panning and which carries a camera cradle for tilting. A zoom-type lens on the camera is also disclosed. It is desirable to provide a surveillance system capable of covering a maximum viewing area, while at the same time having a structure which is efficient, easy to operate and install, and as inconspicuous as possible.
The present invention provides a system which allows a clear view in any direction. Further, its simple and efficient construction renders it light, inconspicuous and easy to install, operate and maintain.